KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 — Over 50 Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI) residents held a picnic protest picnic today against development at Taman Rimba Kiara after construction works began.
Preliminary construction works started at Taman Rimba Kiara on March 14, which saw dozens of trees uprooted to make way for an alternative route into the park as part of a proposed mixed development of high-end condominiums and affordable housing block.
TTDI resident association vice chairman Clinton Ang said the move was done in bad faith as the project was pending a judicial review.
“We are outraged at the level of arrogance by the developers by showing absolutely no regard to the ongoing judicial review.
“What is the rush? Let the matter be solved in the courts. What if the court decided in the residents’ favour? How would you reverse the damages then?” Ang said.
To show support for the cause, residents brought placards that read “Less invasion, more conservation”, “Parks are for people not Condos,” and “Parks before profits.”
Last year, TTDI residents filed a judicial review to quash the conditional planning permission and development order granted by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to property developer Memang Perkasa Sdn Bhd, in which Malton Berhad holds a 51 per cent stake.
TTDI residents were alerted to excavation works conducted on the site by regular park goers, who posted images and video on social media of construction workers uprooting trees.
Ang questioned DBKL, the custodian of Taman Rimba Kiara, on its lackadaisical attitude towards preserving the park and why the city council allowed construction works to take place without due process.
“So far DBKL have been silent on the matter. We are troubled by their lack of attention to our plights on the matter.
“The irony is that DBKL have been taking good care of Taman Rimba Kiara and they even tagged over 300 trees in the park. We are baffled that they would even allow such construction to take place,’’ he said.
Also present was Save Kuala Lumpur (SKL) coalition chairman Tan Sri Dr Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman, who urged the authorities to gazette the KL City Plan 2020 immediately
“The government must take this matter seriously as Kuala Lumpur needs a proper planning framework, with an emphasis to save our green and open space.
“Sadly, not many people in power see the value of green and open space to its local community. Hence why [we] need a detailed structure plan and local plan to administer Kuala Lumpur,’’ he said.
“Kuala Lumpur has always been a green city and we should keep it that way. Why are we so obsessed with concrete jungles like New York or London. What we have is already unique,’’ added Aziz.
